Much thanks for Shivani for helping me tons on this, but here is the essay.
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Describe a book, play, composition, poem, scientific discovery, technical achievement, myth, historic event or work of art that has inspired and intrigued you. You can assume we are familiar with the plot and details; instead, tell us what it means for you personally.
Considering that Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” was voted the most influential book after the Bible, I suppose it’s fairly clichéd for me to assert that “The Fountainhead” changed my life more profoundly then any other book I’ve read, but I must do so. Until the summer of eighth grade, I had the same relationship with non-educationally mandated books as a cat does with water: I avoided them like the plague. My cousin finally heckled me into picking up a copy of “The Fountainhead” at a local used bookstore. By the time I got to somewhere near the second sentence, I was hooked. I had never before read any writing that had that much power and elegance to it, and I discovered that ideas that were still only just percolating within my adolescent mind were fairly developed and clearly articulated in the text.
It was the first book of ideas I had ever read, and I owe my continuing pursuit of meaning and philosophical truth to the questions that the book raised. For example, Rand’s scathing depiction of media manipulation made me wonder how much of what I believe is due to social and other conditioning. I force myself to go back and question my intentions and premises wherever possible, so that my beliefs can be truly mine, and not what I was told or pressured into thinking about myself or the world. Even today, I always try to understand the root and complexity of an issue rather than make hasty judgments based on a cursory glance or a preformed bias.
The force of Roark’s personality also greatly influenced who I am today. In the book, I saw clearly articulated, for the first time, many of the virtues I have made an effort to cultivate where possible. These virtues include decisiveness, self-motivation, self-respect, sincerity, honesty, and courage, which are also traits beneficial to and characteristic of leaders. I don’t agree with all of Roark’s actions- I think he could use a little less judgment and a little more compassion- but I have always been impressed by his work ethic and the depth of his faith in himself. His commitment to producing quality work, and the enthusiasm he has for his work correlates directly to my own passion for creating excellent hotels that are truly hospitable and welcoming, anywhere in the world.
The extent of his artistic integrity also influenced my own- I am an amateur photographer and web design artist. While many others are content to use hackneyed methods and techniques, I always strive for the pure integrated aesthetic- the truly original and beautiful- not original as equivalent to reactionary, or original for its own sake. For example, if I am taking a picture of a person, I try to avoid showing that aspect that they usually display, and instead try to capture the essence of who that person is on a deeper and more fundamental level, and also doing so in a unique way, by changing technical specifications to suit what I am trying to capture.
Furthermore, like Roark, I have known for years what I have wanted to do with my life, and the book has encouraged me to stay true to that. I’ve consistently refused social and other pressures to pursue careers in fields that don’t fascinate, challenge, or fulfill me quite as much as business does. “The Fountainhead’s” antagonist, Peter Keating, realized halfway through his life that his true passion was always art, and not architecture, and tried to make a half-hearted, desperate switch when the most fruitful years of his life were gone, and even his own interest in either field had diminished. My insistence on doing what I love was only strengthened after reading the book and I haven’t “sold out” and gone into other things- particularly science- despite tremendous pressure from my teachers, friends, and even family.
Ultimately, “The Fountainhead” served as the catalyst for my intellectual and personal growth, and every time I return to it, I find fresh encouragement. I’m not sure that integrity and commitment necessarily equal success- reality has a way of leveling our romanticism- but the book gave me something to reach for.